Skyliner and Crescent Lake

[pop pop]

My wife and I enjoy staying at Yatch Club and Beach Club when we can get a good rate. The Crescent Lake area is just so beautiful and convient to two of the parks.

I’m concerned that the Skyliner is going to fundamentally change the character of the Crescent Lake area including the Boardwalk area. I can invision large crowds at night similar to Disney Springs! What do you think? A lot of guests aren’t even aware of this area and it’ll be a shame to loose the intimate feel of this location once the skyliner is up and running.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I'm concerned as well but trying to remain optimistic. I've been pleasantly surprised by other renovations that I had doubts about. I'm not sure it's going to make the Boardwalk a destination outside of the parks (there's really not that much to do) but I am worried about the impact to the International Gateway entrance. That's one of my favorite aspects of staying at the Beach Club - the nice, quiet, low hassle entrance. I'm also wondering about impact to some of the Beach Club Villas rooms - I really don't want the gondolas flying by the window - but I'm not sure exactly what the path/track is so maybe it won't be an issue. Lastly I'm hoping it doesn't ruin the overall aesthetic. I was just there two weeks ago and seeing the giant pole just outside the France pavilion is jarring, ruins the forced perspective effect of the Eiffel Tower, and really is just ugly. But I have to believe the imagineers know what they're doing and it will turn out better than we think. I hope...

 

[Minnesota!]

It will make the IG more crowded, definitely. I think the Crescent Lake circle will see more foot traffic, too - people taking a little time to check it out. But, I do not think it will become over-crowded. We love the BW area, but there really is not much to do outside of food and drink...

 

[WEDWDW]

I think it will have virtually no effect on The Boardwalk/Crescent Lake.

I think Guests will just use the Skyliner to get from the IG Station to the DHS Station and not do a "side trip" to The Boardwalk.JMHO

Where it will definitely have an effect is to greatly reduce "traffic" on the Friendships.

 

[DSLRuser]

My wife and I enjoy staying at Yatch Club and Beach Club when we can get a good rate. The Crescent Lake area is just so beautiful and convient to two of the parks.

I’m concerned that the Skyliner is going to fundamentally change the character of the Crescent Lake area including the Boardwalk area. I can invision large crowds at night similar to Disney Springs! What do you think? A lot of guests aren’t even aware of this area and it’ll be a shame to loose the intimate feel of this location once the skyliner is up and running.

Well....back in the day...it was supposed to be a destination....like Disney Springs....but most guest find it to remote and lacking parking or buss transportation to get there. Resort TV used to "advertise" it as kind of another park almost.

In the beginning, there was 10x more entertainment then what you see now. maybe the skyliner will allow Boardwalk to finally live up to it's intended potential. Jelly Rolls and the Dance Hall may actually have people in them again. Disney may hire performers for the boardwalk again.

I am all for it getting popular.

 

[JenluvsDisney]

Does anyone else listen to the Disney Dish podcast with Jim Hill and Len Testa? They recently did a couple of episodes where Jim touches on the fact that Disney has JUST NOW realized that due to the number of hotel rooms that will be serviced by the Skyliner as well as the new rides set for World Showcase (Ratatouille, Mary Poppins) and a potential new iteration of the Illuminations night time show, IG will not be able to accommodate the sheer number of people trying to exit the park at the end of the evening. Apparently this was never considered during the planning phase of the Skyliner - an oversight to say the least! I'm not terribly nervous about the Boardwalk area being crowded but I AM nervous about the potential bottleneck at the IG turnstiles as thousands of people try to leave World Showcase at the end of Illuminations to get back to their Skyliner-linked hotels.

 

[WEDWDW]

but I AM nervous about the potential bottleneck at the IG turnstiles as thousands of people try to leave World Showcase at the end of Illuminations to get back to their Skyliner-linked hotels.

And Park Open will be slammed as well.

I had just always assumed that a major expansion of the IG tapstiles was part of the plan(but evidently not!)-TWO tapstiles and that small entrance isn't going to cut it!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I kind of hope more folks come in. Maybe they will do something awsome with the Atlantic then. That building seems like a lost opportunity.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Does anyone else listen to the Disney Dish podcast with Jim Hill and Len Testa? They recently did a couple of episodes where Jim touches on the fact that Disney has JUST NOW realized that due to the number of hotel rooms that will be serviced by the Skyliner as well as the new rides set for World Showcase (Ratatouille, Mary Poppins) and a potential new iteration of the Illuminations night time show, IG will not be able to accommodate the sheer number of people trying to exit the park at the end of the evening. Apparently this was never considered during the planning phase of the Skyliner - an oversight to say the least! I'm not terribly nervous about the Boardwalk area being crowded but I AM nervous about the potential bottleneck at the IG turnstiles as thousands of people try to leave World Showcase at the end of Illuminations to get back to their Skyliner-linked hotels.

I listen but am behind. Will have to catch up. I asked a CM a while back about expansion of the "lanes" at the IG entrance. They said no expansion was planned and at the time I just assumed they weren't in the know b/c how could any reasonable person not see an expansion was required. As it is if you walk up when a boat arrives, you're in for a wait (but of course nothing like the front of the park).

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Well with 6012 rooms worth of hotels that instead of bussing to the front entrance who will now ride the skyliner, the IG is certainly going to be affected. Obviously not all of those rooms will be headed to Epcot on the same day, but it's still going to be affected.

Note that does not include the Riviera rooms.

 

[cwis]

Regarding the possible expansion of lanes at IG, one thing to consider is that the flow of guests coming from the skyline is fundamentally different than those coming from a boat or a bus. When a bus/boat comes in, 30-40 guests may arrive simultaneously, whereas the flow of the skyliner is more continuous.

 

[WEDWDW]

Regarding the possible expansion of lanes at IG, one thing to consider is that the flow of guests coming from the skyline is fundamentally different than those coming from a boat or a bus. When a bus/boat comes in, 30-40 guests may arrive simultaneously, whereas the flow of the skyliner is more continuous.

BUT at Park Open is when the back-up will happen BEFORE the lanes are open for the day and then the entire Park Open crowd will have to funnel through 2 lanes.

 

[HopperFan]

I'll assume I would get on the sky buckets (I won't)....

We have stayed at POP many many times. We would love to go to Boardwalk in the evenings to dine or go to the more adult venues. BUT the transportation pain has never been worth it. I honestly think we'll see BW traffic up considerably, especially if they keep the buckets rolling until all the BW venue closed. While it may not be something they are discussing out loud, I can't help but think it was also a way to also fill all those venues each night and we might see some changes/additions to up the offerings.

It is a market of 7000 rooms/suites to tap, they would be foolish to not take advantage of it, particularly when Epcot dining/drinking venues always close early.

 

[Marionnette]

Regarding the possible expansion of lanes at IG, one thing to consider is that the flow of guests coming from the skyline is fundamentally different than those coming from a boat or a bus. When a bus/boat comes in, 30-40 guests may arrive simultaneously, whereas the flow of the skyliner is more continuous.

Something else to consider is that the guests arriving via skyliner may have already undergone a security check, much like the guests arriving at the MK via monorail do.

But the exit process following IllumiNations is going to be a hot mess. All of those AoA and CBR guests trying to exit and board the skyliner at once is going to be insane. I'll be parking myself on a bench and watching the flood of people dissipate before I even attempt to head back to the BWV.

 

[cwis]

BUT at Park Open is when the back-up will happen BEFORE the lanes are open for the day and then the entire Park Open crowd will have to funnel through 2 lanes.

Something else to consider is that the guests arriving via skyliner may have already undergone a security check, much like the guests arriving at the MK via monorail do.

But the exit process following IllumiNations is going to be a hot mess. All of those AoA and CBR guests trying to exit and board the skyliner at once is going to be insane. I'll be parking myself on a bench and watching the flood of people dissipate before I even attempt to head back to the BWV.

The Skyliner is expected to move 5,000 guests per hour. That's 44 WDW articulated buses. If these figures are correct, the cabins would likely be a more efficient way of getting back home after Disney Illuminations.

 

[Marionnette]

The Skyliner is expected to move 5,000 guests per hour. That's 44 WDW articulated buses. If these figures are correct, the cabins would likely be a more efficient way of getting back home after Disney Illuminations.

Yes, but they will still need to funnel thru the narrow IG exit. It won't matter how many people the skyliner can carry if the rate limiting step is the number of people who can pass thru those turnstiles in an hour.

 

[cwis]

Yes, but they will still need to funnel thru the narrow IG exit. It won't matter how many people the skyliner can carry if the rate limiting step is the number of people who can pass thru those turnstiles in an hour.

5,000 guests per hour is one guest exiting the park every 0.7 seconds, supposing you have two exit lanes. While you are correct that will not be fast enough to avoid a jam before IG, it will probably means that, once you are outside, you will have virtually no wait for your Skyliner.

 

[Marionnette]

5,000 guests per hour is one guest exiting the park every 0.7 seconds, supposing you have two exit lanes. While you are correct that will not be fast enough to avoid a jam before IG, it will probably means that, once you are outside, you will have virtually no wait for your Skyliner.

I agree. It's not the Skyliner that will be the problem. It's the entrance/exit at the IG that Disney didn't give adequate consideration. It's kind of surprising since at one time Disney was considered to be the standard for being able to move large numbers of people in an efficient manner.

 

[heidijanesmith]

The IG has always been our happy place. Easy to get in and out of for rope drop and exit after Illuminations.

I was concerned before this post and now I am really nervous about getting in and out without an expansion of the IG. We spend multiple nights at EPCOT as it's so easy to get in and out.

 

[Farro]

Something else to consider is that the guests arriving via skyliner may have already undergone a security check, much like the guests arriving at the MK via monorail do.

But the exit process following IllumiNations is going to be a hot mess. All of those AoA and CBR guests trying to exit and board the skyliner at once is going to be insane. I'll be parking myself on a bench and watching the flood of people dissipate before I even attempt to head back to the BWV.

Most definitely! We will get a glass of wine right before Illuminations ends, sit down, relax, and watch the crowds leave before we meander back to Yacht/Beach. Sounds kind of nice actually...